Let My Arrows Fly True
by SprinkleTheWorldWithMusic
Summary: Prim was never chosen at the reaping. Katniss is hurt and dying by a careless mistake. Gale, devoted and motivated by his love to Katniss tries to save her even if all the odds were against him.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey Fanfic! I'm a first- timer so go easy on me. R & R OK?**

**Who totally agrees with me that Gale and Katniss should be together? Ignore Katniss's hunger games death match because it doesn't exist. My story is about how Gale and Katniss gradually realised their love with each other despite the odds that are always against them. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: You recognize anything in my writing? I don't own any of it. Credit goes to Suzanne Collins**

Chapter 1

Katniss's POV

I let the rain fall into my open mouth. I licked it and it tasted foreign as if the toxic fumes from the coal mines mingled with this small supply of water. Perhaps it did but even then, the atmosphere, the air; they all feel wrong and uncomfortable. I'm drenched all over and I feel sluggish but nether the less, I headed straight towards the woods into another dreary and wet hunting session.

I arrive at the meeting place that Gale and I share and I see a hunched figure, wrapped up in a fully saturated blanket. Gale. He's enigmatic; sometimes he's acting this way and other times, he acts in ways I can't fully comprehend. I believe we're both growing up, together.

There's nothing between me and Gale except we're just friends. I'm not sure about Gale's feelings but at this point, I know there's something wrong with our relationship.

I trudge up to him and I call out.

'Gale'

'Hey Catnip' he replies in such a moody way that's totally expected. However, I'm surprised he's calling me by my nickname.

We sit in silence until Gale suddenly springs up.

'Let's hunt, you take the lead today' he says but his accusing glare startles me. He has picked up his bow and an arrow is notched, ready for use. He is drawing the bow back and forth in mock aim.

I get up and start walking slowly, imitating Gale's renowned velvet steps and I pass in front of him. Just as I reached my bow and tourniquet, I feel a searing pain in the lower part of my leg. The sensation is so abrupt, tears have blurred my vision. I look down at the pain's epicentre and I see a green marked arrow protruding out of my thigh. A specially designed poisoned arrow. I glance up and catch the open- mouthed expression in Gale's face and he starts bending towards me, bow still in hand. I realise that Gale does care for me but I see a cold expression in his eyes and I'm unconvinced. Thinking that he had meant to kill me, I launch myself at him and I pin him to the ground.

'Gale, you tried to kill me.' I panted.

'No. It was an accide...'

'You're wrong' I whispered. 'You've glared daggers at me since last week'

'Katniss' he breathes.

'Stop!' I scream because the pain in my leg is becoming unbearable. The poison in the arrow is also making me nauseous.

'What you did was unforgivable!'

I'm about to land my fist into his face when he suddenly sits up and pushes me back into the mud. My leg slides behind me and the arrow shaft gouges further into my flesh. I scream in pain and I see my scarlet blood stain my muddy leg. I see Gale's shadowy frame tower over me and I stare up into his face. In his expression, what I see is not the anger for retribution, but a tear- stained face. Tears are channelling down his cheek. He gently touches and holds my hand in his.

'Katniss, I…'

I begin to lose consciousness and I know this because a foggy blackness is rimming at the edge of my eyes but Gale's touch starts warning bells in my head. I pull back at the gesture and I see his concerned face changed to broken hope before I plunge into

darkness.

**Eek! I hope that was good. Please write a response and review. I need feedback! Tell me how I went! New chapter is coming.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I hoped you guys liked my previous chapter, here's the second chapter. Don't forget to review! Please tell me whether I should continue with the story please?**

Chapter 2

Gale's POV

Katniss!

Katniss's dead to the world but seeing her broken and limp body like this disheartens me. The arrow was totally unexpected but because I was angry, I did this careless thing. I'm breaking down in tears and I remember the day; the day when Katniss broke my heart…

_I was leaving school and heading home to prepare for my coming hunting session with Katniss when I heard a beautiful voice like mellow flutes playing. Katniss. I had to admit, I deeply cared for her and I wanted to tell her that one day. I headed straight for that voice and stopped. Another voice joined in with hers belonging to someone I couldn't recognise._

'_Katniss, that guy you always come home with- Gale Hawthorne right?' _

'_Right'_

'_Tell me about him' the inquisitive voice asked_

'_Well he's great, steady in character and rather protective' Katniss said._

'_Protective?'_

'_Yeah, he's well, I can't explain it…kind of soft?'_

Soft? When was I ever soft? The unknown voice continues.

'_You know, I think he really cares for you…you know, he loves you.'_

Katniss's reactioncompletely surprises me and it hurts me to the brink.

Katniss is laughing coldly and her cheerful voice turns chilly.

'_Love me?' Katniss gives a snort. 'I wouldn't think that.' _

'_If he thinks he loves me, I'd say he's over his head.'_

'_Why?' asked the voice._

'_Because he'd be crazy if he did.'_

I'm brought back to the present at the thought of this incident. Her words, they stung and I huddle while tears rack my body. How could she say that without seeking my feelings first? Even if I did admit to her, she'd throw it back in my face. Now my actions, made me unforgivable in Katniss's eyes and I knew fear and anger would replace the area where the place in her heart that had my name on it had been. Could you truly love someone if they didn't love you back?

I stand up and I see the abnormal swell in Katniss's leg. Purple liquid is oozing out of the wound. Sweat has soaked her shirt and I knew; she was in trouble. Again, I'm in danger of crying.

I brush away a strand of hair from her eyes and I leaned close to her face. Hesitantly, I kiss her lips. It's so soft to touch and it warms me. Katniss moans but she's still oblivious to her surroundings. I pick her up with both arms and I carry her to the edge of the woods and stop. Katniss is stirring and she opens her eyes painfully. Her eyes appear in a glazed expression.

'Katniss!' I shout desperately.

She frowns and I see a hint of madness and fatigue in her eyes.

'You.' she whispers.

**Please bear with me. I know there's nothing romantic in this section but please read on. I'm a first timer so give me some encouragement please! Remember to review. Criticism is welcomed too u know!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks so much to Writer1000, kcmyers and .awesomeone for their review and thanks to everyone else who supports me! I wasn't sure whether I should continue because my sister had said that the second chapter wasn't really good. **** Anyways, here's the third chapter. R&R please!**

Chapter 3

Katniss's POV

Sobbing. That's what I'm hearing right now. I vaguely remember the warm pressure on my lips and two strong arms that lifted me off the ground. Who was crying? No-one except Prim and my mother loved me. I suppose I was in my kitchen, being lifted onto the table where my mother treated all her patients but those strong arms? It must be father. No. My father is dead but my mother is not strong enough to carry me and certainly isn't Prim. I'm curious so I open my eyes but the action is more tedious than I expected.

My vision is blurry and I'm squinting for my eyes to focus. When they do, I'm confused. Someone is shouting my name but the voice is low but sweet unlike Prim's high- pitched squeaks.

It's Gale and I can't seem to recall what had happened to me but then I feel agonising pain in my thigh and I remember.

I scowl and whisper.

'You'

Gale's POV

I'm staring into her face and her eyes seem to pierce accusingly through me. Once Katniss's realisation dawns, her eyes widen and she's thrashing in my arms.

'Let me down!'

'No' I'm trying to keep my voice steady.

'If you don't I'll, I'll…' she stumbles

'What?' I ask. I'm beginning to feel threatened and I lean her against a nearby tree but I don't let go of her.

'I'll kill you like you tried to kill me!' she screams into my face.

'Katniss I told you, I…' I start but Katniss is pointing a finger at me and she's backing away.

'No, stay away from me!'

Katniss is cowering away but from what? Me? I'm trying to bring her back to the present but in her delirious state, it's impossible.

I look at her leg and its worse.

Fear? Of course. The poison must be inflicting fear, creating a distorted image.

She's panting heavily again and her eyelids are drooping. The hallucinations have captured her and she's shivering tremendously. She falls back into unconsciousness and I scoop her under the non- electrically charged fence. I head straight for Katniss's house and Prim comes out crying.

'Katniss, Katniss!'

'What's happened Gale?'

I'm crying again and I shake my head.

Mrs Everdeen comes out of the house. She doesn't cry or call out but she's calm and leads me into the kitchen.

I put Katniss down on the table and step back. She looks beautiful when she sleeps. Only the distorted nightmares that she can't escape from is twisting her face into a pained expression.

Mrs Everdeen examines Katniss's leg which is now a ghostly purple and green. She looks up.

'She was poisoned by something'

I nod in answer.

'What did you do Gale?'

I stare at the ground. Mrs everdeen shuffles in front of me and whispers.

'She's dying.'

**I hope that was good. Please bear with me once again. If it doesn't satisfy you, please tell me so I'll change it. Thanks. Please Review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks again to those who bothered to review especially kcmyers and Riquez Oro. It's really appreciated. Please tell me if you'd like to change a bit of the story. Review remember?**

Chapter 4

Gale's POV

I felt the blood drain from my face. Katniss is dying because of me. My beloved Katniss is in this horrible state because of my carelessness.

Prim is next to me and she is sobbing quietly. Her whisper is hardly audible.

'Katniss, why?'

'Gale, tell us what happened.'

I'm standing now but my legs are so weak, they force me to collapse back onto the chair.

'It was me.'

They look at me surprised. I'm teary again and I close my eyes.

'It was me!' I shout because I am angry, to myself and the pain I inflicted on Katniss. I cover my face with my hands and now, I'm really broken. I'm losing my best friend and even if she was cured, she'll never forgive me. Either way, I'm losing. The odds have never been in my favour from the start.

Prim breaks the silence. She's shuffling over to the protruding arrow and she examines it.

'Katniss never used poisoned arrows in hunting, it'll kill us for sure if we ate poisoned game.' Prim states.

'Then how did it get in our supply?' I ask myself.

Mrs Everdeen applies a salve on Katniss's leg and attempts to pull out the arrow. I can see how deep the arrow has gone into her skin and despite Mrs Everdeen's efforts, she's failing. Katniss is groaning from the pain and Mrs Everdeen stops.

'We need to sedate Katniss for this to work.' she says.

'I'll do anything for her.' I reply. Unexpectedly, I feel Prim's inquisitive eyes trained on me.

'Morphling must be applied directly on the wound but it must be done by using a thin instrument.' Mrs Everdeen continues.

She walks over to another table and rummages through her items. Whilst she's doing that, I glance over at Katniss.

'I hope this will work' I mutter.

Katniss's lips move and I hear her whisper my name.

'Gale.'

I place my hand on hers.

'I'm here.'

Suddenly, she opens her eyes and screams. The sound tears at my heart and I back away. Katniss's shouts reduces to a shallow breathing and she's lost to the world again.

'Nightmares conjured in the brain that brings fear is mainly about those who inflicted the pain.' says Prim, wide- eyed and surprised.

'That's me right?' I ask.

Silence is my answer.

Mrs Everdeen comes over and she's holding a transparent but rigid tube. It's thin and well- balanced. It's pointed at one end and its tip is as sharp as a needle. In appearance, it could as well be an arrow.

'It's an application arrow, used to inject any medicine into the patient.' Says Mrs Everdeen, echoing my thoughts.

'Katniss usually does this, she's too accurate.' she continues.

'Isn't this dangerous? We could use a needle instead.' I ask.

Prim shakes her head.

'If we need to apply a large amount of a drug, we use it. If we simply stab it into the patient, damage can seriously be done.' Prim says.

'But a swift movement of an arrow is perfect because energy is lost during its flight.' she continues.

I'm perplexed but I have some idea of it. Besides, Katniss is depending on me.

'Ok, I'll do it.' I say.

I notch the arrow in a carefully designed bow Mrs Everdeen gives me. I breathe in and close my eyes, imagining the arrow soaring and landing perfectly in the right spot.

'Let my arrow fly true!' I shout and I release.

**Let me know if you think the story is going too slow. I'll update soon. Please remember to review. Critism, compliment, improvements etc is welcome!**


	5. Chapter 5

**For those who wonder why I update so quickly, it's the school holidays. Yay! But…. -.-" Ive got a king arther essay (love medieval but an essay?)**

**Anyways thanks again to those who support me and the reviews were heartwarming (sniff). Yeah enjoy. Don't stop reviewing. **

Chapter 5

Katniss's POV

_Arrows…_

That's what I'm hearing. Who's saying it? What's happened to me?

Next thing I know, I hear a whistle of a soaring object and a sharp pain erupts from my leg. The burning sensation spreads and it engulfs my entire body. The fire in my body is so intense that I'm screaming until my voice becomes hoarse.

'Katniss! Katniss!'

Who's calling me? I'm as well as dead from what I am feeling now. The cool liquid helps, it alleviates my pain but my real worries remain.

Why can't I escape from these nightmares? I open my eyes but that doesn't help. I see a hazy image of what?

No matter how hard I squint, can't seem to focus. Why does everything shimmer brightly? A black figure is over me and the image is so frightening. It looks distorted and it's coming towards me. I shut my eyes and brace myself. I start to breathe in fiercely, expecting it to attack but instead I hear a voice.

'I love you Katniss, stay strong for me.'

I'm bewildered but then someone cuts off my oxygen supply because something was on my lips again. Cool and sweet lips were on my hot and dry ones. The pressure was gone as fast as it appeared.

Gale's POV

My hands are firmly placed on my ears. Katniss's screams seem to affect me more than anyone. It felt hopeless, to be unable to give her my strength and unable to share her pain. Each time she let off another cry, my own pain was doubled.

I see her open her eyes and she's in a daze. I'm leaning over now but I was rewarded with a whimper and Katniss closes her eyes tightly.

_Inflictor…_

That's who I am now to Katniss; inflictor to her pain and fear.

A scream is about to escape her again but I'm determined to stop it.

'I love you Katniss, stay strong for me.' I whisper.

Then I kiss her full on the mouth and hold my position. Tremors rack her entire body. When I release, she's sleeping peacefully again and I smile.

I look up and see Prim, wide –eyed and eager. Mrs Everdeen is suppressing a smile. My face turns beetroot- red in embarrassment and I turn and run out of the door.

I'm walking towards my house but instead I find myself crawling under the electric fence and into the woods. I find Katniss's sheath of arrows and discover Prim was right. That green marked arrow didn't belong into this supply. How I found myself holding it was peculiar.

Another object was sitting beside me. It was a small black cat whose features were finely crafted. Only a wealthy person could afford this. I decide to leave it there in case some bird or animal forgot to take it from their foraging because no other people except Katniss and I ever go into the woods.

I decide to go back to Katniss's house, despite the embarrassment. Something stops me though; it's the green marked arrow from Katniss's leg. I pick it up and knock on the door. Prim answers and leads me into the house, glancing at me in strange ways.

'Mrs Everdeen, you dropped this.' I hand her the arrow.

'Katniss's one is over there' she shakes her head.

There on the table was the arrow, similar to the one I'm holding.

'How's Katniss?' I ask.

Mrs Everdeen grins now and she nudges me towards Katniss.

She's sitting up, mug in hand and she's looking out of the window. On her leg is white cloth, soaked in warm water. A salve that was probably applied when I was away gives the material a green tinge. I'm silent because I'm afraid she'll attack me. She looks at me but instead, a smile creeps up on her face.

I'm so happy that I don't hesitate to throw my arms over her and I cry on her shoulder.

'Gale' she whispers.

I glimpse over at Prim but she's propped up on a chair, looking very serious.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I know all of you are wondering why Prim is so serious…I'm planning to answer it now. Sorry, there are a lot of POV changes though. Sit tight and enjoy.**

Chapter 6

Prim's POV

I've seen this poison before. Severe hallucinations and with that unknown poison circulating around the body then a seemingly miraculous recovery? I think that's impossible. Father told me about the properties of different plants and there's only one that could impose such vicious effects on the victims. Its hemlock, although harmless in appearance, the purple roots bring about an effect that's almost incurable. Katniss knows this as well because she's brought me beyond the fence before and I've pointed them out to her.

The two lovebirds are still embracing- it's distracting. I wouldn't have thought that their relationship would become so close. When Gale unexpectedly kissed Katniss, I could have laughed my head off but Katniss's condition restrained it. At that time, it was serious business.

Back to my initial thought. Was it hemlock? The juice from the roots had to be processed before the poison could be fatal. I think its called fermentation. I believe the poisoned arrow was deliberate, either to target Gale or Katniss. Then an antidote would have been made? I'm not really sure.

Gale's let go off Katniss now and they're talking together. I can see on Katniss's face that she really wants to stretch out. Mother is placing a bandage on her leg, and then I spot something before she covers it. Is that silver that I see?

'Wait!' I cry.

Everyone looks at me startled.

'Can I see that leg please?' I ask

I'm scrambling over to see it and I'm right. A small silver object is wedged in between her wound and it's visible only if you look carefully. Oh no.

'It's a container for poison.' Katniss says.

Katniss's POV

Every few minutes, jolts of pain sends off tremors into my leg. Prim was clever enough to see this and since it had been discovered, I'm certainly sure that my guess was correct.

'Get it out' I suggest.

Mother grabs a pair of tweezers and firmly inserts it beside the two ends of the silver. That's when I feel them again. Electric shocks that have a larger magnitude of pain than those timely ones. I grab Gale's hand and grit my teeth. The pain is excruciating.

'Stop' I whisper.

'It must have been released when the arrow went in' Gale says

We all nod.

Once the pain leaves, I'm told to rest but the visions have come again and it's more deadly than before.

**My worst chapter yet. Sorry it's uneventful, boring… waaa! I don't think I can update too soon because one, I haven't written it yet and two; I've got a church excursion tomorrow so please be patient!**


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